Thoughts on the Ball

The evening of the Purity Ball started off with me greeting little girls dressed as "princesses" of all shapes and colors as they walked in the front door with their daddies. Most of the girls seemed to be in an excited daze, being whisked in on the arm of their dads, brought over to our table where they registered for the special night.

I sat and "ooohed" and "ahhhed" over how pretty the girls were, how I loved their hair and their dresses. I made a comment on one of the girl's corsage. "What a pretty corsage," I said. "My Daddy bought it for me," was the sweet and serious reply I received from Hannah who was currently on Cloud 9! My heart began to turn very mushy at this point.

Some of the fathers entering the door looked a little like a deer caught in the headlights. They were like teenage boys on their first date with that "special" girl! A few were quite uncomfortable with the whole ordeal, probably having been persuaded quite strongly from their better halves! Yet, many of the fathers came in with a proud and confident air; a sense of joy in them at bringing their precious girls to this event. They seemed happy to be a part of it all. Most of them were dressed "to the 9's." Several of the men wore tuxes and matched their daughter's dress. By now, my heart is syrup.

The little girls' voices sounded angelic as they recited the pledge of purity in unison, and the mens' voices reverbated in a powerful way as they pledged to protect their daughters' purity until the time they get married. It was a moment full of promise. I was silently praying, "Father, I pray all of these fathers will take this oath very seriously and never allow any distance to come in between them, even in the teen years." I couldn't help but wonder how many of these men would keep their vow, would keep their pledge to their daughters, come what may. I also wondered how many of the fathers were themselves living a life of faithfulness and purity in their own walks with God. I hoped and prayed they would all be men of integrity.

Next came the dancing! It was during this time that the overwhelming feelings that I had not quite expected began to flood into my chest. I was intently watching the faces of both the fathers and the daughters during this time, and was amazed at the emotions this brought to the surface in me. Seeing the fathers gently waltzing their young daughters around the room took my breath away. The look of complete rapture in the daughter's eyes when she looked at her daddy; the nervous smile of her daddy looking down at her. I was so tickled and then quickly became teary when one of the daughter's got so close to her dad that he could hardly move to dance!

Seeing the fathers boogie-down to YMCA and Funkytown was equally moving and fun for me. What great sports so many of these men were! I was truly proud of them! One scene on the dance-floor was particularly sweet to me. One of the young girls was really "getting down" on the dance floor. She looked to be about 10 years old, tall and lanky, legs and arms flying everywhere! Her father was beside her, watching her while clapping his hands and cheering her on as she danced. He had the biggest smile on his face! How awesome to see this father, not at all embarrassed by his daughter's dancing, but delighting in who she was!

Seeing the daughters with their heads resting on their fathers' chest (or stomach!) while they were slow-dancing was dreamy as well. At one point, I almost broke out in tears standing in the corner watching the scene around me. I was truly taken off guard by this flood of emotions surging up within me. How happy I was for these little girls to have their daddies to themselves in such a way! How much pain I felt for those who have never experienced anything remotely close to this kind of love with their own fathers, especially those who have never known or had a man to call "daddy" at all.

I am so thankful to have been a part of this night. I pray these memories will continually be a sweet, comforting dream for every daughter involved. I pray this night will be a special memory for every father, even on the day he walks his beloved one down the aisle, in purity and in love.